A Quick Glance at Sleep Apnea Solutions
Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person pauses their breathing during sleep for a long enough period to miss at least one breath - each period is an apnea - and these pauses happen persistently through the night.
The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is caused by the soft tissue of the airway collapsing in on itself during sleep, thereby obstructing the flow of air.
Less common is central sleep apnea (CSA), which is caused because the brain fail fails to send the proper commands to the body to breathe while sleeping.
There is also complex apnea, which is a combination of both OSA and CSA.
Many people may experience mild apnea as a result of common infections of the upper respiratory system without any negative side effects.
The real problem develops when the person has severe sleep apnea for a prolonged period of time.
This can result in several severe complications such as hypoxemia (low levels of oxygen in the blood), sleep deprivation, and even an unusual form of congestive heart failure known as "cor pulmonale.
" Many early stage treatments for apnea involve reducing the contributing factors to the condition such as losing weight, quitting smoking and reducing the intake of muscle relaxers (when applicable).
If the basic lifestyle changes do not adequate treat sleep apnea, the most common treatment is the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which is worn while sleeping.
Another option is Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT), which involves an oral appliance that is placed in the mouth as the person sleeps and shifts the lower jaw forward, helping to open the airway during sleep.
Further, specially designed pillows or sleeping garments that make the person sleep on their sides instead of their backs, or elevate them at an angle, are also regularly prescribed by physicians treating patients with apnea.
If the methods described above fail to work successfully, the next option offered by most doctors is surgical in nature.
While there are some alternative methods available, only a few of them have been tested and empirically shown to make a difference, such as playing the Australian didgeridoo (which strengthens the muscles lining the airway) and the "Singing for Snorers" program is undergoing clinical trials presently.
The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is caused by the soft tissue of the airway collapsing in on itself during sleep, thereby obstructing the flow of air.
Less common is central sleep apnea (CSA), which is caused because the brain fail fails to send the proper commands to the body to breathe while sleeping.
There is also complex apnea, which is a combination of both OSA and CSA.
Many people may experience mild apnea as a result of common infections of the upper respiratory system without any negative side effects.
The real problem develops when the person has severe sleep apnea for a prolonged period of time.
This can result in several severe complications such as hypoxemia (low levels of oxygen in the blood), sleep deprivation, and even an unusual form of congestive heart failure known as "cor pulmonale.
" Many early stage treatments for apnea involve reducing the contributing factors to the condition such as losing weight, quitting smoking and reducing the intake of muscle relaxers (when applicable).
If the basic lifestyle changes do not adequate treat sleep apnea, the most common treatment is the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which is worn while sleeping.
Another option is Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT), which involves an oral appliance that is placed in the mouth as the person sleeps and shifts the lower jaw forward, helping to open the airway during sleep.
Further, specially designed pillows or sleeping garments that make the person sleep on their sides instead of their backs, or elevate them at an angle, are also regularly prescribed by physicians treating patients with apnea.
If the methods described above fail to work successfully, the next option offered by most doctors is surgical in nature.
While there are some alternative methods available, only a few of them have been tested and empirically shown to make a difference, such as playing the Australian didgeridoo (which strengthens the muscles lining the airway) and the "Singing for Snorers" program is undergoing clinical trials presently.
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